Final Fantasy IV : The Novelized Version
by andreainwonderland
Summary: Final Fantasy IV, in novel form. Follow Cecil on his journey to raid the world of the evil, collect the crystals, and the new friends that he will meet on this journey.
1. Chapter 1

**Notes :** Yes, I decided to attempt to novelize FFIV. I just recently finished this game, and I would really love to see a novelization. However, I only found a couple and a few that aren't being updated. So I decided to try. Let me know what you think. Thanks guys, enjoy.Thanks to my forum group, Wedding Blues, for their help.  
Thanks to the gamefaqs user Apathetic Aardvark for his game script. That helped a lot.  
**Disclaimer** : I don't own anything. Except the writing. And half of that is game script so even that's not mine. If it was mine, oh man, I would be so rich and happy.

_----------_

_The advent of the airship marked the realization of mankind's dreams, but also sowed the seeds of corruption.  
__Baron, the world's most powerful military nation.  
__Baron, a kingdom slowly changing its ways.  
__A menacing shadow hovers over the world.  
__Gunshots, clouds of dust, chaos.  
__Baron only exploits its power to collect the world's crystals.  
__Why?  
__The omniscient crystals, silently shed their light._

" Captain Cecil , we will be arriving at Baron shortly ! "

The said Captain kept his head down , staring silently at the airship floor. His silver hair stuck to his face with sweat , his entire body aching from the strain of his fleet's last mission. Even though he hadn't had to do much , the physical and emotional exhaustion was pounding at his heart , though his face betrayed no emotion. Finally Cecil raised his eyes to meet his crewman , nodding slightly at his words, "…very well." He then returned his gaze to the polished wooden floors of the airship , sighing deeply.

A blonde crewman , dressed in shining red armor similar to that of his comrades, turned to the man behind him and whispered in his ear, " The captain seems kind of down." He carefully kept his voice down while keeping an eye on Cecil to make sure that he hadn't been overheard.

The man behind him shrugged and whispered back , " After what we did , who wouldn't be ? " His voice was glum , showing slight remorse from the deed that had just been committed. " Orders are orders , but killing innocent people to get the Crystals just isn't right, " he shook his head to emphasize the point he was attempting to make.

Cecil managed to somehow bow his head even further , overhearing the soldier's last statement. Memories of the city of Mysidia in flames , burning to the ground , invaded his mind. The captain of Baron's famed army , the Red Wings , shut his eyes , hoping to black out the thoughts , but they came even faster still. The village Elder, the look of fear in his eyes , commanding his Black and White mages to hold the soldiers of Baron back at any cost. The captain's uncaring commands to attack and the soldiers' massacre. The tears that filled the mages eyes. The cold feeling of the crystal as Cecil took it in his hands. And then the fleeing of Baron's army , back to their airship , but still not able to perish the thoughts of their massacre from their heads.

" The Red Wings are supposed to protect people , not harm them ! "

Cecil raised his head up at that statement , stomping his foot on the ground roughly. " That's enough ! " he said firmly. He didn't know why he was saying it , because after all he agreed fully with his Red Wings' statements.

Eyes were wide as the crewmen stared in wonder upon their captain , wondering what had come over him. The same blonde man to start the whispering stepped forward again , approaching Cecil. " But , Captain…" When Cecil didn't respond , he ventured on. " Surely , you of all people don't condone what we've done ? "

Cecil cleared his throat , staring at his men , letting his cold blue eyes stare at each and everyone of them. " All of you. Listen , and listen to me well. The raid on Mysidia was imperative. His Majesty and his council concluded that the Mysidians, and their broad knowledge of the Crystals, posed a serious threat to our kingdom. " Cecil looked around again , making sure that the Red Wings' attention was still on him before continuing. " For Baron to prosper , we need the Crystals. As soldiers of the Royal Air Force , we must achieve this by whatever means are necessary." Cecil took a deep breath , hoping his answer would satisfy them , and turned away from his crew.

" Captain … "

They were all silent for a moment , the only sound heard was the wind whipping through the air and through the sails of the airship. That is , until another crewman ran up to Cecil , panting and frantic.

" Captain ! Monsters spotted ! Dead ahead ! "

Cecil turned around , a puzzled look on his face , as the Red Wing before him fainted at Cecil's feet. Swallowing loudly , Cecil unsheathed his dark sword. " Prepare for battle ! " he commanded his force , and they all took out their weapons as well.

The crew hacked and slashed at the Float Eyes , one of them dropping with a cry. Cecil gave him a slightly worried look, hurriedly slicing at the Float eyes with his sword and trying to pull a vial of potion out of his pocket. When the Float Eyes died at the hands of his crew, Cecil ran over the man that had fallen , crouching down and pouring the potion into the man's mouth. " Are you alright ? " Cecil asked , although the answer to that was clear.

The man didn't have any time to respond , only pointed weakly behind him. " More of them…" he gasped for breath , and Cecil whirled around , clasping his sword tightly in his right hand.

"Damn it ! " he yelled , pulling a Blue Fang out of his pocket and throwing it wildly , hoping that he didn't miss his target. It landed on the Zuu with a blinding flash , and Cecil and the rest of his Red Wings shielded their eyes from the blast. Cecil was the first to open them , waving away the smoke. " Is everyone okay ? " he yelled.

The crew hurried back into their formation , one of them stepping forward. " We are all accounted for , sir, " he responded , bowing his head slightly to his Captain. " We've been encountering a surprising number of monsters lately…"

Cecil looked into the sky with wonder. " Could it be…some kind of omen ? " he wondered aloud. His crew looked worriedly at him , but didn't say anything. Cecil continued to stare off into space until another of his crew members spoke.

" Captain , we are now over Baron. "

Cecil shook his head a little , as if to get his bearings back. He nodded at the crewman before him. " Very well. Prepare for the landing. "

The men all scurried away to their places , happy to be nearing the home of Baron , where all was safe , and where they wouldn't have to do anymore killing. At least not for the time being.

----------

" Cecil ! " a voice called out the second that Cecil had stepped through the doors.

Cecil sighed , he had hoped to make a quiet entrance and take off his dirty armor. He was sweating bullets inside of it , his hair dripping with sweat and his face smeared with dirt. He stopped and bowed to the man in front of him. " Baigan. "

Baigan grinned , showing all of his white teeth. He had shoulder-length blonde hair and a blonde beard to match , and stood about a head shorter than Cecil. He was dressed in robes of rich scarlet colored velvet that showed off his royal status. He nodded brightly at Cecil.

" Well done ! " the blonde man before him , Baigan , greeted him. " The Crystal is now ours. " His words weren't a question, they were a statement. The castle had been sure of the Red Wings victory , no questions were needed to know what had occurred in Mysidia.

Cecil sighed , letting no emotion show on his face , and gave Baigan his report. " The Mysidians put up no resistance. In fact , they were … well, completely helpless." Cecil couldn't help biting his lower lip in regret , flooded with the memories of the Mysidian mages' screams of terror.

Baigan scoffed. " Cecil , is this pity I perceive ? " The man in red laughed at the very thought. " Hmph ! Come , Captain. His Majesty awaits. " Baigan turned and proceeded into the castle , while Cecil tiredly followed him , barely able to drag his feet through the stone floors of Baron Castle. The screams were still penetrating Cecil's thoughts , and he daydreamed as he followed Baigan through the castle.

Baigan stopped suddenly in front of the throne room , causing Cecil to nearly topple into him. Cecil caught himself just in time and managed to readjust himself before Baigan noticed.

" If you'll excuse me , Captain , I must speak to His Majesty in private. Please wait here. " Baigan turned on his heel and entered the Throne Room before Cecil could answer , not that he had any choice.

Once Baigan had gone through the door , Cecil crept closer and pressed his armor-clad ear up to the door , but Baron Castle's design prevented him from hearing through the stone wall to listen in on the conversation that was going on inside.

Inside the chamber , Baigan had bowed down on one knee in front of his king. " Cecil has returned , Your Majesty. However, I am afraid that he can no longer be trusted. He is clearly questioning your authority."

The King of Baron sighed and furrowed his blonde eyebrows. " Yes, I suspected as much. It matters not, so long as I am able to obtain the Crystals. Please , Baigan , send Cecil in now."

Baigan bowed before exiting. "Yes, Your Majesty." He then turned and instead of exiting the chamber , shouted through the stone wall at Cecil. " Captain ! His Majesty summons you ! "

Cecil brushed strands of silver hair away from his eyes, taking a deep breath before pulling open the heavy door. He walked up to his King's throne , bowing down on one knee.

The king motioned for him to rise up. " The Kingdom of Baron hails your return. May I have the Crystal ? " He held out his hand for the shining Water Crystal that Cecil had forgotten he was holding.

"Of course , Your Majesty, " Cecil responded , and handed the Water Crystal to Baigan , who in turn passed it over to the King.

The King examined it , not making any effort to conceal the look of happiness and greed in his eyes that reflected in the Water Crystal's surface. " So this is the Crystal…What splendor…" he stared hungrily at the Crystal as if searching for something on its shimmering, glass-like exterior. He waved a hand at Cecil lazily. " You are dismissed, Cecil."

Cecil nodded, and turned to leave. His mind was begging him to ask the King what he planned to do with the Water Crystal, not only for his own knowledge but for the knowledge of his Red Wing comrades. Cecil stopped halfway out of the room , clearing his throat. " Your Majesty ! " he called out , hoping to appear composed and not nervous at all.

The King and Baigan jumped , they were so mesmerized in the Crystal's surface that they hadn't noticed Cecil was still in the room. The King coughed loudly. "Yes , Cecil ? What is it ? "

Cecil took a deep breath and walked straight up to the King's throne. " Your Majesty…forgive me but what are your intentions with the Crystals ? My men … all of the Red Wings…are confused and displeased with the massacre of Mysidia."

The King raised an eyebrow, staring seriously down at Cecil. " And what about you , Captain ? Do you question my command ? "

Cecil's eyes widened , and he shook his head back and forth. " No , of course not ! I only ask…"

The King slammed his fist on the arm of his throne. " Silence ! Dissension only leads to treason, and that I will not tolerate , Cecil ! I hereby relieve you of your command of the Red Wings ! "

Cecil let out a gasp , despite his attempts to keep void of emotion. " But … Your Majesty ! " Cecil managed to choke out , his throat suddenly very dry.

The King and Baigan stepped forward towards Cecil. " Now…I charge you with another duty. Slay the Phantom Beast that infests Mist Valley , and deliver this Bomb Ring to the village of Mist. You leave tomorrow , at the first light. "

Suddenly the doors to the throne room were thrown open with a large bang , and a man rushed through them. He was panting and out of breath , dressed in shiny blue armor. His helmet was in the face of a dragon's face , and it covered the top half of his face. His eyes held a shining gleam , but instead of a lively gleam this one was a gleam of anger. "Your Majesty , I beg you to reconsider. " he said after catching his breath. " Cecil has done no wrong."

The King was livid. " Kain , you insolent cur ! How dare you barge in here? " he yelled, spit flying from his mouth. " If you are so concerned about him, you may now accompany him. Now, take that ring on be gone! " the King shouted , throwing the Bomb Ring lividly at the two men.

Cecil reached out and grabbed it between his fingers as guards continued to push him and the new man, Kain, from the room. " But, Your Majesty! " Cecil tried to protest once more, but it was to no avail. The guards pushed them from the room, locking the doors behind the two.

Cecil sighed, unable to look his friend in the eye. Instead he stared at the floor. " I'm sorry, Kain, " he sighed to his friend. " This is all my fault."

Kain merely laughed, as if the demotion didn't bother him. " Cecil, don't worry too much. Once we have completed the mission , the king is bound to forgive us both ! You'll be captain again in no time, and I will be able to rejoin you in the Red Wings! "

Cecil didn't respond to this, only continued to stare at his feet morosely.

Kain nudged his friend on the shoulder. "Just get some rest. Leave tomorrow's preparations to me." He gave Cecil another encouraging pat on the shoulder and another bright smile , and then walked off to join the rest of the Red Wings group for a drink in the corner of the castle.

Cecil debated whether he should follow Kain or go to his room and get some rest, and made his decision as he felt the weak pangs of an oncoming headache. He put a hand to his temple , and waved at the men he was formerly in command of , walking off in the opposite direction that led to his chamber.

As Cecil walked through the halls, he thought about the pain he had just caused many people. The terrors , the horrors , and the tortures. " How could the King do such a thing? " he whispered aloud.

"It's not like him…killing innocent people is so wrong. The poor Mysidians…" Cecil shook his head again.

"Cecil!"

Instantly Cecil froze at the sound of the voice calling out his name. "Damn…" he swore under his breath. He could tell from the voice who the person was, and it was someone who he just couldn't face under the circumstances. Cecil stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around.

"Cecil, oh thank goodness you're all right!" white mage Rosa Farrel exclaimed, and even though Cecil wasn't facing her he could still hear from the tone of her voice that she was smiling. "I was so worried about you, Cecil. You left on such short notice!"

Cecil heard the rustling of her clothes as she came to stand behind him. Still, he didn't turn around to face Rosa. Instead he just stared at the floor until he realized that he would have to answer to her eventually. "We're fine," he said shortly. "I wish I could say the same for the Mysidians we slaughtered…"

Rosa frowned slightly, not fully understanding his last sentence. An awkward silence fell over the couple, Cecil not wanting to say anything and Rosa not knowing what to say. Finally she reached out and laid a hand on Cecil's shoulder. Cecil flinched involuntarily and Rosa, sensing his discomfort, pulled away.

Tears began to form in her eyes at the idea of Cecil's unhappiness. "Cecil, I'll visit you later, okay?" she asked, wanting to hurry out of the room before he saw her cry.

Cecil nodded curtly. "Very well," he responded, still keeping his light blue eyes fixed on a spot on the flooring. Behind him he heard Rosa rush from the room, and silently cursed himself for the way he had handled the situation with her. Cecil simply continued the path to his chambers, never more eager to get there.

However, another good friend would stop him.

"Well, well, well! Look who's back! Rosa was worried sick about you!" The voice came from an older man named Cid. Cid was short, with a bushy red beard and goggles that almost always covered his eyes. He was Baron's chief engineer, the one responsible for the production and invention of the now famous and revered airships. Cid ran up to Cecil and slapped him on the back like an old friend would. "Don't you ever worry her like that again, you hear? So, how are my airships? I'll bet you and your goons wrecked them up something awful!" Cid laughed heartily, only then noticing Cecil's awkward silence and uneasiness. He furrowed his eyebrows and peered closer at Cecil. "Hey, what's the matter with you, kiddo?"

Cecil took a deep sigh. He needed to tell someone, and Cid was as good as anybody was. Cecil, Kain, and Rosa had grown up in Baron castle together, all friends with Cid. Cecil was closer to Cid than possibly anyone, save Rosa. "Well…" he began quietly, and proceeded to tell Cid the whole story: their mission briefing, the Mysidia massacre, the taking of the Crystal, his demotion, and the awkward encounter with Rosa moments before.

As Cid listened, he grew more and more angry. His face turned red with angry, and he sputtered when he spoke. "What? The King demoted you? What about the Red Wings? They'll be a mess without you!" Cid shook his head to show his displeasure. "What comes over the King? He's been acting peculiar. He ordered me to build an airship that he can use to slaughter people! Everyone's worried about his majesty... " Cid made a face and shook his head again before changing the subject. "Anyhoo, be careful out there! Make short work of that mission and get back safe." he said grimly, then looked down to check the time on his watch. "Whoa, I have to start heading home or my daughter's going to kill me! Be careful Cecil!" he yelled before dashing off.

"I will…" Cecil responded quietly to Cid's retreating back. Finally, he ascended the stairs that led to his bedroom. He took off the heavy helmet that had been burdening him all day, shaking out his long hair and wiping the dirt from his face. The sunset was beginning to glow outside of his chamber window, and Cecil finished taking off his armor. Being the Dark Knight of Baron that he was, the armor was heavy and dirty. Cecil could feel the burden in his chest lighten as he stripped the dark armor off his body. He then lay down on his bed, thinking out loud.

"What's happened to the king? He covets the crystals as though he's possessed. And he'll resort to any means to get them," for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, memories of Mysidia came flooding back into Cecil's head. Again, he shook his head to get rid of them, but to no avail. Nevertheless, I can't defy him. How could I cross the man who raised Kain and me like his very own? The chivalrous knight whom I've adored and admired since childhood?" Cecil closed his eyes, not realizing how tired he really was. "I will not betray him, I can't."

Cecil was just beginning to drift off to sleep when he heard his door open quietly. Cecil kept his eyes closed, turning over onto his side so that he could face the wall. He had forgotten that Rosa was coming to visit him. He still felt too guilty to face her, too conscious of the Mysidian blood that had stained his hands just hours before.

Rosa knew that Cecil was faking sleep, and she strode right over to the side of his bed. She laid a hand on his shoulder, shaking him softly. "Cecil, what is going on? You just returned from Mysidia and now you must journey afar to battle this phantom beast? You're acting very strange lately, Cecil." Her voice was accusing and sharp, not like her normal voice that was gentle and calm.

Cecil stayed quiet for a moment, until Rosa gave his shoulder another sharp shake. "Nothing's wrong, everything's fine," he said in a blank tone of voice that was completely void of emotion. Cecil continued to stare at the wall, trying to make patterns out of the shapes. Anything to keep his mind off the matter at hand.

Rosa sighed, sitting herself down on the edge of Cecil's bed. She removed her hand from his shoulder, instead using it to hold one of his hands. "Cecil, look at me," she whispered gently.

Cecil hesitated, and then rolled over onto his back so that he could see her face. He closed his eyes before continuing, just so that he wouldn't have to look Rosa in the eye while he told her of the horrible crimes he had committed. "In Mysidia, we killed innocent people to steal their crystal." He paused to open his eyes and determine Rosa's reaction, but she kept her face the same, patiently waiting for him to continue. Cecil re-closed his eyes. "It was horrible," he was surprised to hear his voice break slightly and found himself happy that Rosa was still holding his hand. "I suppose this is my fate as a dark knight. I chose this. Soon, I won't even feel remorse for my own actions," Cecil's face contorted in sorrow and shame, and Rosa watched him, her heart aching for him.

"You and I both know that would never happen, Cecil. You're not like that," she tried to comfort him, lightly squeezing his hand.

Cecil sat up in his bed, finally looking Rosa straight in the eye. "No. I still can't defy the King. I'm a hopeless coward," he said, bowing his head in shame.

Rosa moved slightly closer to him, placing one hand on his shoulder and the other to lift his chin so that he was forced to look at her. "The Cecil I know wouldn't whimper like this," she scolded him, letting her hand drop from the side of his face. "The Cecil I love…" she looked away shyly, brushing a strand of light blonde hair behind her ear.

Cecil's eyes widened at her statement , and he felt his heart start beating considerably faster. All he could feel was the weight of her hand that was still on his shoulder, and he flinched involuntarily as she removed her hand and stood up. "You leave for Mist early tomorrow morning, correct?" she asked.

Standing up as well, Cecil nodded. "But you don't have to worry. Kain's coming too. I'll be fine, trust me." Before he could think about it, he pulled Rosa into a hug, and held her there for as long as he possibly could.

Rosa lifted her head from where she had placed it against his chest. "Please…come back to me in one piece. " She continued to stare into his eyes as they stood together, locked in a tight embrace that neither one of them wanted to break free from.

Cecil moved away first, still holding onto Rosa. He lightly kissed the top of her head, and then completely pulled away. "Thank you, Rosa," he told her, giving her a soft smile, perhaps the only smile that had crossed his lips all day.

Even though she knew she should smile back, Rosa couldn't help the tears that were forming in her eyes. She forced back a small smile, and then turned and fled from the room before Cecil could see that she was crying because of him again.

After she had been gone for a second or two, Cecil began to think out loud to himself again. "Though as a Dark Knight, you know we can never be together." He smiled again, this time a sad smile, and finally crawled into bed and fell asleep for the rest of the night.

---------

Cecil awoke the next morning before the sunrise, and put on all of his heavy armor again. He donned it fitfully, but the bloodstains brought back the same horrible memories from the night before. He hurried down to the front of the castle, hoping that Kain would somehow be able to cheer him up on their mission.

Kain was already ready and waiting for Cecil in the main hall. When he saw Cecil coming, he grinned brightly at his friend, patting him on the back. "You feeling better today, Cecil?" he asked cheerfully, not wanting to put Cecil in any morose of a mood.

Cecil shrugged Kain away. "Yeah, I guess so."

Kain frowned slightly at the answer, but decided to accept it. "You ready for some real combat today?" his eyes glimmered excitedly as he pulled the front of his helmet down over his face.

Cecil had to laugh and smile at the familiar happiness in Kain's eyes that always seemed to surround him. "Always," he replied to his friend.

Kain fake-bowed dramatically in front of Cecil. "Lead the way," he gestured, and the two friends walked side by side out of Castle Baron and into the world.

_Thus, the Dark Knight Cecil was expelled from his command as a Captain of the Red Wings.  
__And he and Dragoon Kain left Baron for the Village of Mist in a valley enclosed in deep fog.  
__Airships had been a dream of many people.  
__After the realization of the dream, came greed and ambition.  
__Through its fleet of airships, Baron became the most powerful nation.  
__But why is Baron seeking the crystals?  
__Why do the monsters keep increasing...?  
__The crystal was shedding its light silently..._


	2. Chapter 2

The path to the valley of Mist was shorter than both Cecil and Kain had imagined, they managed to keep themselves entertained by slaying the small beasts they encountered and reminiscing over the past times that they had when they were younger. Cecil couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness that settled in his stomach every time they fought a battle. It wasn't that he was afraid; it was the feeling of an omen, that something bad was ready to happen.

Finally they reached the opening of the mountain, the area known as Mist Cave. They entered, and continued over the rickety bridges and soft dirt. A slight fog surrounded their ankles, making it nearly impossible for the two knights of Baron to see where they were stepping. The monsters were easily slain by Kain's dragoon lance and Cecil's sword. All was going well, the mission was easy.

"TURN BACK!" a voice screamed out, causing Cecil and Kain to jump in surprise.

They both looked curiously around the cave and then at each other, wondering where the shout had come from. "What? Who's there?" Cecil called out, and both of them waited as the wind blew the fog around their feet. The mist was beginning to grow.

"LEAVE AT ONCE!" the same voice screeched, and Kain and Cecil froze in their tracks, waiting to see if anything would happen. The voice continued to yell," KNIGHTS OF BARON! LEAVE AT ONCE OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!"

Cecil and Kain were now at the end of the cave, they could see the exit to the outside and see the sunshine that was beating onto the world. They both made steps forward, but before they could exit, the voice screamed at them again.

"TURN BACK AND NO HARM WILL BEFALL YOU."

Kain scoffed. "This is ridiculous," he said, and began to exit the cave. Cecil didn't move, he waited to see what his friend's fate would be. "We have to get to Mist. We can't turn back!" Kain protested as he left the cave.

"So be it," the voice whispered, and with that the mist grew so that it was unbearably difficult to see, and Kain was slammed back from the entrance of the cave. Out of the mist, the shape of a dragon was formed, and it let out a piercing scream that chilled the air and made their blood run cold. Kain quickly pulled out his lance, and launched himself into the air.

Cecil also withdrew his sword, staring at the dragon's silhouette in front of him. He ran towards the dragon and slashed at it, not being able to see because of all the mist. He knew he had hit something when the dragon began to scream.

Kain suddenly landed beside him, the spiked end of his lance embedded in the dragon's neck. Smiling proudly, Kain thrust the lance out of the dragon, and both the knights stared in wonder as the dragon's figure began to turn into more and more mist, finally fading away into the air.

"Well, that was easy enough!" Kain grinned at Cecil, who managed to give him a smile back. "Let's go then. We have to get to Mist so we can get back, and you can be made the Captain of the Red Wings again!"

With that the two men hurried out of the cave, and continued on to the village of Mist.

----------

Finally the town of Mist was visible. Cecil and Kain entered, gathering themselves some looks from the villagers that were wandering the streets. Suddenly Cecil felt a heat on his fingers, and he looked at his hand to see the Bomb Ring on his ring finger glowing and admitting a strange heat. He took it off his finger, and held it up so that Kain could see. "It's glowing," he stated, looking at Kain, wondering what the strange glowing meant.

Suddenly, several bombs were released from the ring, and they descended upon the city of Mist. Cecil gasped and dropped the ring in surprise, while him and Kain could only look on as the bombs inflicted destruction upon the former beautiful city. Within seconds, the city was only a mass of flames.

"This is why he sent us here?" Cecil could feel his voice breaking as he gazed upon the city. Again, he had been a murderer. Again he had caused suffering to many. Cecil dropped to his knees, to weak to stand.

Kain didn't know what to say, he could only stand with his mouth slightly open in shock. Now he understood what Cecil had felt after the mission yesterday. Now he understood what it was like to be a murderer. "We've destroyed the entire village," he said flatly, just to fill the dead air.

Cecil put his head in his hands, shaking his head back and forth. "Why? Why would he make us do something like this? WHY?" he yelled.

"Mommy! No!"

Both Cecil and Kain turned around in surprise as they heard the voice of a young girl screaming out and sobbing. Cecil still felt paralyzed by his murders, but Kain ran to the girls side.

The girl was very young, still only a child. She had short and curly green hair, and big brown eyes. Those eyes were filled with tears and overflowed onto her pale cheeks. She was crouching by the body of a woman, who Kain assumed was her mother. Kain crouched down beside the girl so that he was on her level.

The girl gazed at him with watery eyes. "My mommy's dragon died…" the girl sniffled before continuing. "And because of that…my mommy died too!" she broke out into more sobs.

Cecil raised his head from where he was still kneeling on the ground. Suddenly he rushed over to the girl, his eyes wide and filled with pain. "What?" he asked in a whisper, looking at Kain as if for some kind of answer.

Kain shrugged. "I've heard of people with the power to summon monsters…summoners they are called," he told Cecil.

Cecil let his head process the information as a hollow look came over his pale face. "Then…we are the ones responsible for killing her mother. Because we killed the dragon." Cecil could only hang his head in shame. How was it that he could wreak so much havoc in not even two days?

The girl glared at Cecil and Kain with fire in her eyes. "YOU killed my mommy's dragon?" she looked livid, but still had the tears of sadness in her eyes.

"We…we didn't know that would happen…" Cecil tried to protest weakly, but it was in vain.

Kain sighed. "So that was the king's wish. To annihilate every summoner in this village…damn," Kain cursed softly, looking around at the flames and damage that overtook Mist.

"This can't be," Cecil heard his voice crack again, hanging his head low in sadness and in shame.

Kain stood up, glaring down at Cecil. "I'm afraid it is. I'm also afraid we're going to have to get rid of this girl, too," he told his friend sternly.

Cecil stood up as well. "What? Kain, you can't be serious! She's only a child!" Cecil's sadness was replaced by anger that Kain could even think of such a horrible thing. After all they had already done…

Kain raised one eyebrow and looked at Cecil in surprise. "You would dare to defy the king?" he asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

"Yes!" Cecil burst out angrily. "I refuse to continue any more slaughter in the king's name. I won't do it, Kain!" the two stared at each other for a moment, but finally Kain smiled.

"I knew you'd say that, Cecil. But don't worry, I'm on your side with this."

"You are? Then you will join me?"

Kain nodded. "Of course. I owe the king so much, but I can't disgrace the names of the dragoons. But we will need allies if we are to oppose the mightiest kingdom in the land," Kain looked off into the air, thinking. "We have to do it for Rosa, as well."

Cecil put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Thank you, Kain," he said quietly.

Kain shrugged Cecil's hand off and turned away from him. "Save it, Cecil. This isn't for your sake. This place is dangerous. We'd better get going." Kain began to stride away, but Cecil stayed behind.

Cecil looked down at the small girl that had been looking back and forth from him to Kain, her eyes fearful of the dark knight and the dragoon. "We can't just leave her here, Kain," Cecil said, gesturing to the girl. We'll have to take her with us." Cecil knelt down so that he was on the child's level. "It's alright. We won't hurt you," he said to her, holding out his hand. "You're going to have to come with us, okay?"

"No!" the girl yelled at him, scurrying away from Cecil's outstretched hand in fear and anger. "Go away! I hate you! You killed my mother!" she cried, glaring at both Cecil and Kain.

Kain sighed impatiently. "We don't have time for this! You have to come with us, NOW."

"No!" she yelled again, and she raised her hands together, a faint yellow glow beginning to emit from them. The girl closed her eyes for a moment as Cecil and Kain watched her, wondering what she was doing. When she opened her eyes, she screamed, "TITAN!" and a strong-looking figure of a man had appeared before Cecil and Kain. The huge giant of a man banged his fist against the ground, and with that bang the ground was cracked open. The earthquakes that followed were tremendous, knocking Kain and Cecil to the ground.

The houses began to shudder and fall where they hadn't already been burned to the ground. The earthquakes grew and grew in power, and before Cecil knew what was happening it had gotten to be too much, and he collapsed on the ground in pain, passing out.

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Cecil suddenly awoke with a start to find himself sprawled on the ground, leaves and twigs stuck in his hair. His head ached as he sat up and tried to gather himself, wiping the dirt from his armor. He looked around, and saw the same little girl from Mysidia lying on the ground near him, and he instantly stood up, looking around for his friend. "Kain? Kain!" he yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth to make his voice louder. "Kain?" he yelled again, but there was no answer.

He looked down at the girl who was lying unconscious, obviously exhausted from the strength used to summon the monster she had. "Thank goodness you're safe," he told her, even though he knew that she couldn't hear him. Cecil looked to the sunny sky. "I have to get her out of here…Kain, I pray that you are alive and safe."

Cecil lifted the girl in his arms, surprised at how light she was. He saw what looked like the silhouette of houses in the near distance, and walked towards that silhouette. When he got closer he could see that it was a small town in middle of a desert, a small lake of water next to it. The town was Kaipo, the desert oasis.

Cecil ran through the town with the girl in his arms, looking to find the Inn. When he had entered the town's Inn the Inn Keeper looked up from his paperwork, a bright smile on his face. "Welcome!" Instantly his smile faded as he saw the girl in Cecil's arms. He peered at her with a worried look. "She looks pale? Is she all right?" Without waiting for Cecil's answer, the Inn Keeper waved at a bed in the corner. "Get her to bed, and quickly! You can rest here free of charge!"

Nodding his thanks and giving the Inn Keeper a small smile, Cecil walked over to the bed that had been indicated to him and laid the girl down. Almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, she began to stir. Her eyes opened and looked around, but when she saw Cecil the curious look was replaced with one of hatred.

Cecil attempted to strike a conversation with her. He smiled, "Hey. My name's Cecil. What's yours?" he asked her, trying to maintain a pleasant face and voice.

The girl just glared at him, not saying a word.

Cecil didn't know what to do now. He just sat there, meeting the girl's angry gaze. "Um…I'm sorry about your mother. I didn't know about the dragon. I hope that you can forgive me," he didn't want to plead with the girl but Cecil was beginning to feel desperate as she continued to sit and stare at him. "Well…I guess I can understand that you just can't forgive me. But…will you at least let me protect you from harm?" he asked, tapping her on the shoulder.

She continued to sit there, staring at Cecil, and moved away so that he couldn't touch her again. She turned her face to the wall.

Cecil shrugged. "Fine," he said, mostly to himself than to her. Night was beginning to fall outside the Inn windows, so Cecil just lay down on his bed to rest, hoping that in the morning the young girl would be more responsive and that he could at least find out who she was.


	3. Chapter 3

It was in the late hours of the night, barely the morning of the next day that the door to the Kaipo Inn was opened with a bang. Two Baron guards and their general, all in their red uniforms that were the main garments of the Red Wings, stormed in, glaring at the frightened Innkeeper. The Innkeeper whimpered and backed against the wall. The guards ignored him, and headed towards the end of the Inn where Cecil and Rydia were fast asleep.

The general brandished his sword in front of Cecil's face, the wind from the blade waking Cecil. "Cecil!" the general confirmed in a loud, booming voice. "I've finally found you!" he looked to the little girl who was still asleep, and grabbed her arm roughly. Her eyes shot open and she let out a scream, trying in vain to pull away from the guard.

Cecil sat up and jumped out of his bed, grabbing his sword. "Wait!" he told the general.

Shaking his head, the general responded, "I am here on the King's orders. All summoners from Mist are to be annihilated! Hand over the girl, now!" Cecil shook his hand again, grasping his sword. "So be it. Then you shall die!" the guard yelled, letting go of the girl to turn on Cecil.

Cecil waved his sword threateningly at the two guards accompanying the general, almost grazing their faces. The blade of the sword managed to clip one on the shoulder, and seeing the anger in Cecil's eyes the two exchanged a glance, and then ran away. They knew that they were no match for Cecil. Then Cecil turned to the general, ready to strike, when the general too turned and ran out of the Inn.

Cecil shook his head. "Cowards," he whispered bitterly, and then turned to the cowering and whimpering little girl. Slowly she crept across her bed towards Cecil.

"Are you okay?" she asked in a small voice, reaching out and grabbing the hem of Cecil's sleeve.

Cecil was breathing hard, but he nodded his yes. "I'm all right. Don't worry about me. I won't let anyone take you away or hurt you."

The little girl pulled harder on his sleeve. "You promise?" she asked, gazing up at him in wonder.

Cecil gave her a small smile and nodded. "Yeah. I promise."

Smiling shyly and hooking of piece of curly green hair behind her ears, she looked up at Cecil. "I'm Rydia," she told him.

"Rydia…" Cecil trailed off, smiling back as he engraved the name into his memory. "Well, Rydia, let's try and get some more sleep. Tomorrow we'll figure out where we're going to go to keep Baron and the Red Wings away from you, okay?"

Rydia was already nestled back in her bed, but she nodded sleepily at Cecil. "Okay," she yawned, closing her eyes and falling asleep. Cecil patted her on the shoulder before climbing back into his bed and falling asleep as well.

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"Wake up, Cecil! Cecil, wake up!" Rydia began shaking Cecil's shoulder in the morning, after she had been awake for about an hour. She continued shaking until Cecil groggily sat up, blinking and rubbing his eyes.

After Cecil had gotten his bearings, he smiled at Rydia. "Good morning. Are you feeling all right?" When Rydia nodded her yes, Cecil stood up and began putting all of his armor back on. "Are you ready to leave, Rydia?" he asked, but he was barely paying attention. He was too busy trying to plot a plan in his mind for where they were going to go.

"As ready as I'll ever be!" Rydia responded brightly. Cecil was happy to see that she was more talkative than she had been and couldn't help but smile.

The two of them left the Inn, after profusely thanking the Innkeeper for the free night there.

As they walked through the town, Cecil couldn't help but overhear all the gossip that the citizens of Kaipo were pondering over.

"Yeah, they say that the girl came from Baron…it seems that she's looking for someone. She keeps saying the same name over and over again. They say that all she's been saying is 'Cecil' over and over."

Cecil's head shot up at that. He knew it couldn't be, but still he couldn't shake the bad feeling from his head. He tapped the gossiper on the shoulder. "Excuse me, the girl from Baron? Where is she now?" he asked frantically, motioning for Rydia to follow him and stay beside him.

The woman smiled sadly. "It's horrible, isn't it? The owners of the far northeast house have taken her in and are caring for her now. I hope she gets better…" the woman pointed out the said house.

"Thank you," Cecil nodded hurriedly, grabbing Rydia's hand and running through the town towards the house.

"Cecil!" Rydia yelled at him, tugging on his hand to make him stop running. "What's the matter? Why do we have to run?"

They both reached the door and Cecil pounded on it, continuously banging until the door was opened. A brown-haired woman stood in the doorway, smiling at Cecil and Rydia. "Hello, can I help you two?" she asked.

Cecil nodded shortly. "The girl from Baron. Where is she? Is she all right? Is she saying anything? When did she come here?"

The woman's face turned grave. "So many questions…please, come in and sit down. The girl is upstairs. My husband found her passed out in the middle of the desert late last night. I think she's come down with the Desert Fever. Were you a friend of hers?"

Cecil hesitated. "Yeah…yeah, you could say that. Can I go see her?"

The woman nodded and gestured to the stairs. Cecil ran up them without hesitation, and when he arrived at the top his worst fear was confirmed. "Rosa!" he yelled helplessly, running over to her beside and falling on his knees beside her. "Rosa…" he sighed, reaching out and taking her hand and holding it.

Rosa murmured in her deep sleep, sighing. "Cecil…" she whispered, shivering from the Desert Fever.

Cecil gasped happily and held on to her hand. "Rosa!" he called to her, but it seemed as though she couldn't hear him and was still asleep.

"Be careful, Cecil!" Rosa said in her sleep, then became quiet again. She only moved to cough loudly or to shiver.

The happy look on Cecil's face disappeared. "Oh, Rosa…" he sighed, and when he said it he almost felt her hand squeeze his, but he knew he was probably just imagining it. Cecil could feel the heaviness in his heart almost wearing him down as he watched Rosa breathe steadily under the blankets. He cleared his throat and turned to the man that had been watching over Rosa. "What will cure her?"

The man looked somber as he watched Cecil almost whimper by Rosa's side. He tapped the open page of the book next to him. "To cure her Desert Fever, you need a rare gem that is called the Sand Ruby. It is found only in the cave where the Antlion dwells. The Antlion cave is rather close to Kaipo, to the northeast and in the mountains. "However, you will have to pass through Damcyan on your way, you will certainly be exhausted.. Perhaps if you explain your situation to King Edward, he will let you rest in the castle for the night."

Cecil nodded. "Thank you for watching over her. Could you possibly continue to do so while I look for the Sand Ruby to heal her?" The man nodded agreement, and Cecil bowed his head. "I thank you," he told the man, turning back to Rosa. He gently put his hand up to her cheek, and he found that her skin was burning up with fever. "Don't worry, Rosa," he whispered to her. "You'll be all right. I'll make sure of it.


	4. Chapter 4

Author Notes: Reviews will always help, guys. Thanks in advance for reading, and please take a minute to review telling me what I did wrong, typos, grammar mistakes, or just general feedback. Tell me what you liked and didn't like!  
Big thankyous to Aiko for catching my typo in Chapter 2. Yeah, I always mix up Mist and Mysidia. Thanks for catching that, because I never would have, haha.

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Cecil had rushed out of the house as fast as he could, Rydia running after him to follow closely behind. Cecil wanted to waste no time, he didn't know how long Rosa would be able to last. He tried to block the vision in his mind of her lying motionless under the blankets, shivering and sweating in pain.

They duo of Dark Knight and young Summoner stopped into a local item shop to buy the necessary potions and remedies for their trip. Cecil didn't say much, only pointing out what he wanted and sighing. Rydia watched him, her forehead knitted with worry. She didn't say anything though; she thought it was best to let him be.

"Can you believe Sage Tellah? He went off to find his daughter because she eloped with a bard from Damcyan! Yes, he wouldn't let them marry so she just left him. The poor man. He's getting old, and she's causing him so much worry!" two women were conversing loudly in the corner of the shop, and Cecil listened in, hoping they would maybe mention the Sand Ruby. However, he kind of knew that no mention of the ancient jewel would be made; these women were interested in frivolous things like the daily gossip.

When Cecil and Rydia had gathered together everything that they thought would be needed, Cecil led the way out of Kaipo and out into the desert towards the cave that led to Damcyan. Finally, tired of the awkward silence that had plagued them since this morning, Rydia decided to speak. "Who was that sick woman Cecil? You said she was your friend, right?"

Cecil hesitated, and then nodded. "Yeah. I've known her since we were little. Her, and me, and that Dragoon Knight with us before, Kain, all grew up together in Baron. She's an excellent White Mage there," Cecil smiled as memories of their childhood playing together came back. I hope she'll be all right."

Rydia nodded smartly. "She will be, because we'll find the Antlion and take the Sand Ruby to make her better! Come on, Cecil!" she exclaimed, and ran ahead in the direction of Damcyan. Cecil laughed and jogged after her, also eager to get there.

The two finally reached a cave at the end of the desert, and they stopped to catch their breath. The inside of the cave seemed cold and unwelcoming, but was nothing like the mysterious Mist Cave that Cecil had traversed through a few days past. When Rydia and Cecil had caught their breath, Cecil led the way into the cave, holding his Dark Sword out beside him incase the need for it was great.

There were little monsters in the cave, ones that were no threat to Cecil's sword and Rydia's magic. They made their way through half the cave easily, but were stopped when they saw the hunched over figure of an old man on the path in front of them. He didn't seem like any sort of a threat, so the companions made their way towards him.

The old man turned around when he heard footsteps behind him, adjusting his glasses and then stroking his long white beard. "Could that be…" he squinted his beady eyes behind the spectacles, and then cried out in triumph. "Oh, it is! It's the Dark Sword! Dark Knight, I am in dire need of your assistance!"

Cecil cocked his head in curiosity. "What's wrong, sir?" he asked.

The man shook his head disappointedly. "I must get to Damcyan Castle to reclaim my daughter back from that evil bard she's run off with! That wicked man deceived her! We must hurry, for I sense a very ill omen on the horizon.

Rydia stepped forward then, pointing at the man. "You must be Sage Tellah then, right?"

The old and wise Sage nodded. "Indeed I am. And you, you must be a Summoner! Perfect, you can help me too. A giant monster lurks in the lake up ahead. That devil withstands even my magic. I think that we will be able to defeat it together, and then I can finally be on my way."

Cecil nodded. "That would be great. We are hurrying to Damcyan too."

Tellah turned on his heel and began to lead the now trio through the cave. "Then let us make haste."

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After walking for what seemed like days to Rydia, Tellah suggested that they rest. He took out a tent and set it up. Then Tellah set up a fire to keep them warm and suggested they all get a few hours rest. Rydia laid down and fell asleep almost immediately. Tellah watched her and laughed softly. "That girl fell asleep already? She must be exhausted. Who is she?"

Cecil also looked at Rydia in the red firelight. "A summoner from the village of Mist. I…found her the other day after the large fire there." Cecil looked at the ground in shame, not mentioning that the fire was his own doing.

"She holds great potential," Tellah said thoughtfully. "With the proper training, she'll be able to learn and master many magic spells," he smiled in the warm way that only an old man can. "Look at her. What a cute little face. She reminds me of my Anna at that age."

"Who is Anna?" Cecil asked.

"My daughter," Tellah said simply. "She eloped with a bard to Damcyan because…I didn't consent to their union," his face grew dark, and he changed the subject. "Anyways…what brings you to Damcyan?"

Cecil looked at the ground. "A friend of mine…she suffers from desert fever. I'm hoping to find the Sand Ruby to cure her before its too late. Why don't you tell me more about the monster in this cave we must face tomorrow?"

Tellah shook his head to demonstrate how disgusting the monster truly was. "It's a truly vicious creature, with eight large tentacles. We must kill it and reach Damcyan before it's too late. I feel that there is something bad going to happen, but I hope my instincts are wrong…we should try and get some rest as well," Tellah said, and when Cecil nodded he muttered a spell under his breath that extinguished the fire. Soon, the trio of Rydia, Tellah, and Cecil were all fast asleep.

When they awoke, Tellah knew the way to the exit and led Cecil and Rydia towards the outside path. "The monster lies in the cave behind here. We just keep heading north and we'll see the cave. Use potions now to heal your wounds if you must." When the reached the next cave, Rydia squealed to find that it was completely made of waterfalls, big ones and small ones, that led down to the cave base. "He's down there!" Tellah yelled over the noise of the waterfalls, pointing down to where a giant octopus like animal was glaring up at the three people that had invaded its territory.

They jumped down the waterfall, Rydia screaming with her eyes closed and Cecil trying to squelch the sick feeling that was coming over his stomach. When they reached the base, the Octomammoth, as it was called, began to attack right away.

Rydia helped by summoning Chocobos to kick the Octomammoth, and she used her minimal knowledge of White Magic to cure Cecil and Tellah. Cecil jumped, dodged, hacked, and slashed quickly with his dark sword, using the Dark Wave ability to damage all the tentacles. Tellah used superior black magic to highly damage the many tentacles. One by one, the tentacles began to break off and disintegrate, and with a great shriek the Octomammoth splashed around the water loudly, finally collapsing on the sea floor.

Rydia jumped up and down and cheered, clapping her hands at their victory. Cecil smiled while he caught his breath, and Tellah smiled. "Excellent! Damcyan is just beyond that waterfall."

So Cecil, Rydia, and Tellah were a step closer to their goals. Cecil could now only pray that Rosa was still hanging onto life, even if was by just a thread. He knew that he could find the Sand Ruby to save her; he knew that he was close, and he only hoped that everything would be all right in the long run.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Aha, finally another update. Sorry it took so long, I really kept meaning to upload this but never got around to it. And I wanted to take the time to replay through FFIV, to make sure that I had the scenes fresh in my mind.

Please, review if you read and give me suggestions. It would be appreciated.

* * *

The hot sun beat down upon the backs of Cecil, Rydia, and Tellah. Cecil could feel his hair sticking to the back of his neck, but he was too exhausted to brush it away. Even though the trio had only been walking for a couple of hours, it seemed like they had been wandering the deserts for many days. 

The Castle Damcyan loomed in the distance, its tall stone towers providing long shadows that never seemed to get any closer. The sound of airships could be heard in the distance, and Cecil threw his head back to look, shielding his eyes from the sun. He squinted at the group of airships, recognizing the red ships and the crest on the side. 'The Red Wings?" he whispered aloud, and Tellah looked at him.

"The what? Speak up!"

Cecil opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off as the sharp whistling noise of a bomb falling filled the air. Paralyzed by shock, Cecil, Rydia, and Tellah watched as a bomb descended at lightning-fast speed through the air, landing on Castle Damcyan and causing it too erupt in red flames.

Rydia covered her mouth with her hands, horrified, as Cecil began to run towards the Castle. He motioned for Tellah and Rydia to follow him, and together they ran as fast as they could towards the burning castle. When they reached the entrance, Cecil banged on the door. To his surprise, the door simply fell from it's frame at his touch. Waving aside the smoke, Cecil began to lead the other two through the smoking and burning castle. He stopped when they reached what seemed to be a throne room, the body of a young-looking blonde girl sprawled face-down on the regal red rug.

Tellah stepped forward. "Is that…it is! Anna!" he began to rush forward to his daughter's side, but the presence of a young man distracted him.

The young man was pale, with very light blonde hair and dark blue eyes. He was dressed in regal robes in colors of red, green, and yellow. He grasped a small harp in his right hand, his blue eyes wide in hope and in fear.

Tellah's eyes widened in rage as he recognized the handsome face. "You!" he sputtered angrily, brandishing his staff at the man. "You're that…that bard!" he seemed to almost growl. "Anna ran away because of you!" Tellah began chanting a magic spell under his breath, and his fingers glowed orange with the light of fire. "You spoony bard!" he screeched, hurling the ball of fire at the bard, who winced and backed up.

"Father, stop!" the voice of Tellah's daughter came from the floor as she pushed herself up, her voice trembling and weak. She seemed out of breath and tired, unable to get up off the floor.

"Anna! Oh, Anna, I'm so glad to see you again!" glaring once again at the bard, Tellah ran to his daughter's side, kneeling down to her level and hugging her tightly.

Anna coughed. "Father…Edward is the prince of Damcyan. Forgive me, father, for running away... but I love Edward." Her eyes shone with fresh tears as she gazed into the face of her father. " Still I knew I couldn't find happiness without your consent, I was on my way home when..."

The bard, Edward, stepped forward to finish her sentence. "We were attacked, by Baron's Red Wings. They were led by Golbez."

Cecil cocked his head in curiosity, stepping forward. "I've never heard of Golbez before," he mused. "Who is he?" he asked, directing the question at Edward.

Edward shook his head, staring at the floor. "I don't know. All I know is that his powers were beyond words…"

"But why would they attacked Damcyan?" Cecil asked, meaning it to be rhetorical. Instead, Edward took the opportunity to answer him.

"They wanted the crystal, and they spared no one to get it. My mother, my father, even Anna shielded me from their arrows." At this, the bard glanced at Anna morosely, and then continued to stare at the floor in front of Cecil.

Hearing this, Tellah looked at his daughter, lying on the floor in front of him. "You love him enough to give up your own life?" he asked her, almost incredulously.

Tears ran down Anna's pale cheeks as she reached up, lightly touching her father's long beard. "Please, father. Forgive me." And with her last words, Anna smiled a last time and closed her eyes, falling limp against the cold floors.

"Anna! I love you, Anna!" Edward cried, falling onto his knees and burying his face in his hands to hide the tears.

Tellah also looked at his daughter as if not really believing that she had passed on. "Anna! God damn you, Golbez. Damn you!" He glared at Edward. "Who is that monster anyways? What do you know about him?" his voice was loud and filled with anger, it bounced off the chamber walls and made him sound more frightening than he really was.

Edward wrung his hands together, trying to control his shaking voice. "He came to Baron one day and became the new leader of their Red Wings. He…" he sniffed before continuing, "He leads them in their missions to plunder the Crystals."

Tellah snarled angrily in Edward's direction. "Stop your simpering! That won't bring Anna back. Golbez of Baron, I shall take his life with my own two hands!" Tellah raised his fist in the air as if to demonstrate, standing up and raising himself to his full height. He prepared to walk out of the chamber, but Cecil grabbed his wrist.

"Tellah, wait. " Cecil said calmly. "I can't possibly let you go alone. It's too dangerous!"

Tellah wrenched his arm from Cecil's grasp. "I will kill Golbez on my own, mark my words. I don't need your help. I don't need anyone's help!" Tellah yelled, and with that strode forcefully from the chamber, his long cape swirling behind him.

Upon Tellah's leaving, Edward had rushed to his lover's side, kneeling behind her and cradling her face in his hands. "Oh, Anna," he whispered, and bent over her, letting the tears fall freely from his pale cheeks.

Rydia stepped forward, surprisingly Cecil, who had almost forgotten that she was in the room. Rydia had remained quiet the entire time, but she couldn't stand holding back her feelings any longer. She put her hands on her hips and stared down at Edward's weeping form. " Stop crying! You're a grownup!" she nearly scoffed here. "You're not supposed to cry! I lost my mom, but I'm not going to cry anymore!" she raised her noise in the air to prove her point.

"Rydia!" Cecil exclaimed, shocked at her harsh outburst. He opened his mouth to apologize to the whimpering Prince of Damcyan, but Edward waved an elegant hand to dismiss Cecil and Rydia from his sights.

"Just leave me alone, I don't care what you think. I'm staying here with my Anna. I will never leave her side!" he cried, breaking into fresh sobs over Anna's body.

Cecil grit his teeth, and stepped forward. He grabbed Edward's collar, pulling him almost roughly to his feet. When Edward was on two feet, Cecil gave him a swift slap across the face. "That is enough!" he glared at the Prince. "You're now the rightful ruler of Damcyan, so start acting like it! You owe it to your people and you owe it to Anna." For emphasis, Cecil pointed at the lifeless blonde woman at their feet. "Your majesty," Cecil bowed before Edward. "My name is Cecil, and I need your help."

"What?" Edward asked, rubbing the pink sore spot on his cheek from where Cecil had hit him.

Cecil took a deep breath and began to explain his situation. "My…my friend is suffering from the Desert Fever in Kaipo. I need to get the Sand Ruby to save her. Can you help me?" he bowed again before the Prince.

Edward waved a hand, gesturing for Cecil to stand up. "What is her name?" he questioned of the Dark Knight.

"…Rosa."

Edward wiped the tears from his cheeks and smiled a slow, sad smile. "She is very dear to you, isn't she? Like Anna was to me… You can find the Sand Ruby in the Antlion Cave, which lies to the east." Edward paced back and forth across the marble floor, he almost seemed to be talking to himself as he explained the situation to Cecil and Rydia. "The ruby forms from the fluid that the Antlion secretes when it lays eggs. We must cross the shallows with our hovercraft to reach the cave. After we acquire the Sand Ruby, we can cross the shallows to reach Kaipo." He smiled at the duo in front of him, a reassuring smile. "Let us be on our way. Anna…goodbye." Edward bent to kiss Anna's cold, pale cheek, and then turned and strode out of the room.


End file.
